Generally speaking, you don’t really need to prune perennial roses. However, if you’ve got a “cottage rose” (Bauernrose) growing as a bush, a little trim can actually do wonders. Here’s the scoop on when to grab your shears and what to keep in mind while you’re at it.
Perennial vs. Shrub Roses
The term cottage rose is a bit of a catch-all name that can refer to a few different varieties. How you prune them really depends on whether yours grows as a perennial or a shrub. If you have the perennial type, you can cut the plant back in late fall. Don’t worry—it’ll wake up and sprout all on its own once spring rolls around.
If your rose grows as a bush or shrub after planting, you’ll want to wait until spring to do any cutting. This is the perfect time to check the plant for any frost damage from the winter. If you see any, just snip those damaged shoots right off. Make sure to cut back until you hit the healthy, “juicy” wood so the plant can sprout fresh growth from there.
How to Prune Your Cottage Roses
Don’t be shy about cutting a few blooms to bring indoors! These lush flowers look absolutely stunning in a vase. But for the health of the plant, you’ll want to do a more “official” pruning in the spring, especially for those bushier varieties. Always use a clean cutting tool—it’s a great idea to disinfect your blades before you start to keep your plants healthy.
What you’ll need for pruning:
- Sharp garden shears
- Disinfectant
- Gardening gloves
You can even train shrub-style cottage roses into a standard (tree-form). To pull this off, you’ll need to prune regularly to ensure a straight main trunk develops. Be consistent about cutting back any side branches growing off that main stem. You can also find plants at the nursery that have already been trained this way, but keep in mind they still need maintenance! If you let them go, your rose will eventually lose that beautiful, manicured shape.
